Twists of Fate: Entangled Threads || Sirius Black FF

Chapter 3: The Mother

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The duo spent the whole day together, along with most of the next, strategizing the future (both Sandy's personal one, and the war). It took many interruptions for her to finally give into her new reality; living in 1975. She had told him that she was a Gryffindor, although had been a hatstall for Ravenclaw (just like her cousin and Professor McGonnagal). They decided that she would simply just take on the Gryffindor robes, and pretend to have had her own private sorting ceremony at his office, given that they could not risk the hat's legilimency to learn her secrets. Sandy got enrolled into her classes, bearing the name 'Sandy Reese', an orphaned Australian witch with Dumbledore as her godfather and legal guardian. She also took the liberty of choosing her bed in a 5fth year dorm of her house. 

It had been a long story, but, Sandy managed to give him a good summary of her life, and history. He now knew how history had gone the first time, with Voldemort being killed by the Killing Curse rebounding off of him, and how the horcruxes brought him back. Conveniently, she had the 'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century' book, which she handed over to Dumbledore. It was certainly helpful that she had come with her very own handbag with the undetectable extension charm. However, Dumbledore did provide her with money, school supplies, textbooks, clothes of the time, and an actual trunk, as to not raise suspicion. 

When she filled him in on where and what the horcruxes were made into, Sandy had to explain about their protective charms (given that with the Gaunt Ring had cursed him through them), and how to destroy them. Since Harry had yet to be born, much less kill the Basilisk, the sword of the present was useless. Speaking of, Sandy was rather terrified at the idea of the Serpent of Slytherin still being alive, underneath the school. She had not gotten to Hogwarts herself until the year after the Chamber of Secrets was opened, but she knew that her cousin had been petrified by said creature. Being a muggle-born herself, Sandy was quite uncomfortable with its persevering existence. However, she made Dumbledore aware of it, as well as the entrance to the chamber. 

Many topics were spoken, but Sandy knew not everything had been covered. Dumbledore had announced that he wanted the pair to have tea every other afternoon, both so that he could see how she was doing, and to discuss information she had on the future. They also spoke about the other pages within future Dumbledore's envelope. As it turned out, he had left several lists of names, which included who had married who, along with the children they had procreated, as well as who died, who became a Death Eater, and who joined the Order of the Phoenix. Sandy was able to contrast many of the names with the list of students, to understand those fate she had to change, and who she had to stay away from (to not cause anyone to be unborn). Fortunately, neither her parents, nor Hermione's or the Weasleys were in the school. The first four due to being muggles, and the last two, Arthur and Molly, had recently graduated and were already having children. The Longbottoms had also graduated last June. It made it harder to make Hermione, the Weasleys, or Neville be unborn. 

Students were now arriving for the new year, and the dinner feast would commence once the the first years were sorted in their respective houses. It surprised her to hear the name 'Gilderoy Lockhart' among the first years. Hermione had told her about him. Sandy actually met him when they went to buy Hermione's second year books, and her cousin would send letters about how great of a teacher he was. That changed after the events on the Chamber of Secrets, for Hermione came to find the truth about her phony professor. It did not surprise Sandy to see his 11 year old self become a hatstall for Ravenclaw and Slytherin, despite somehow ending up in the former.